NextFin news, The US State Department announced on August 18 and 19, 2025, that it has revoked over 6,000 international student visas across the United States. The revocations were due to violations of US law, visa overstays, and alleged support for terrorism, according to official statements reported by multiple news outlets including BBC and Nile Post.
Of the revoked visas, approximately 4,000 were canceled because the visa holders committed crimes such as assault, burglary, and driving under the influence (DUI). Additionally, between 200 and 300 visas were revoked under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) related to terrorist activities, broadly defined as acts endangering human life or violating US law.
The State Department did not provide detailed explanations of what constituted "support for terrorism," but the Trump administration has previously targeted students who protested in support of Palestine, accusing some of antisemitic behavior, which the students have denied.
This visa revocation campaign is part of a wider crackdown on immigration and international students under the Trump administration. Earlier in 2025, visa appointments for international students were temporarily suspended. When appointments resumed in June, applicants were required to provide access to their social media accounts for enhanced screening to detect any hostility toward the United States or support for designated foreign terrorists.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who took office seven months ago, has been a key figure in this effort. He told US lawmakers in May 2025 that "thousands" of student visas had been rescinded since January, with more expected. Rubio stated, "We're going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities."
The move has faced criticism from Democrats who argue that revoking visas in this manner undermines due process and unfairly targets foreign students.
According to Open Doors, an organization tracking global higher education trends, more than 1.1 million international students from over 210 countries were enrolled in US colleges during the 2023–24 academic year.
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